WASHINGTON — Christopher J. Boyce, whose sale of CIA satellite secrets to Soviet agents was one of the nation’s gravest espionage crimes of the 1970s, pleaded before a Senate panel Thursday for improvements in U.S. security procedures and for other young persons to avoid his fate.
In an emotional, hourlong statement, the 31-year-old Boyce said his 21 months of spying at TRW Inc. offered no “James Bond” thrills and brought him “only depression and a hopeless enslavement to an inhuman, uncaring foreign bureaucracy.”
“As we sit here, a half-dozen, perhaps a dozen, perhaps more Americans are operatives of the KGB,” the former Californian told the Senate Governmental Affairs permanent investigations subcommittee, which is examining how federal security clearances are granted.
‘None Are Happy’
“Perhaps some of them have been in place for years. I tell you that none of them are happy men or women,” he said during testimony described by Sen. William S. Cohen (R-Me.) as “one of the most powerful and poignant statements we have ever heard.”
Boyce, who is serving a 68-year prison sentence for espionage and for robbing banks after escaping from the Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution in 1980, said that “for whatever reason a person begins his involvement . . . the original intent and purpose becomes lost in the ignominy of the ongoing nightmare.”
Although Boyce took the witness stand in his defense during his 1977 spy trial, his Senate testimony Thursday–in which he paused to fight back tears four times–provided his fullest statement to date on his actions and reflections as a Soviet collaborator.
He told senators that he had received a top-secret clearance from the government in 1975 after only a cursory investigation in which he was never interviewed about his anti-Establishment attitudes, which were well known among his friends.
Boyce said the government interviewed only his parents and some of their acquaintances, “who lived in another world” and knew nothing of his opinions.
Smoked Marijuana at 16
“Had the investigators asked any of my friends what I thought of the U.S. government, and in particular the CIA, I would never have gotten the job,” Boyce said. “Had they asked, they would have learned that I had first begun smoking ‘pot’ at 16 and that I had experimented with a variety of other drugs.”
He said he was hired only because his father, a former FBI agent, knew a top security official at the company.
At the Redondo Beach-based TRW, where Boyce worked as a clerk assigned to a highly sensitive satellite project, plant security was “a joke–almost laughable,” making it easy to photograph thousands of documents to pass on to Soviet agents, he said.
Boyce–who testified before the subcommittee while guarded by a dozen federal marshals–described the informal atmosphere and lax security at TRW and said his co-workers never suspected he was cooperating with the Soviets.
Parties in ‘Black Vault’
“We regularly partied and boozed it up during working hours within the ‘black vault,’ ” the super-secret room housing the CIA satellite project, he said. “Bacardi rum was usually stored behind the crypto machines.”
Boyce said a code-destruction machine similar to a blender “was used for making banana daiquiris and Mai Tais. On occasion, the project security manager would join us for a drink on the house.”
Boyce, whose case was recounted in the best-selling book “The Falcon and the Snowman” and in a subsequent film, said he understood that TRW has tightened security in recent years. Witnesses from the company confirmed this in later testimony.
Monkey Badge
So lax was security at TRW, Boyce said, that “my immediate supervisor once made a security badge with a monkey’s face on it and, to everyone’s amusement, used it to come in and out of the building.”
With tears in his eyes, Boyce said he no longer is “a rebellious 21” and agreed to testify “in the hope that I am performing a constructive act.”
He concluded: “I only wish that before more Americans take that irreversible step, they could know what I now know, that they are bringing down upon themselves heartache more heavy than a mountain.”
New Coronation Street spoilers for next week’s episodes have teased murder secrets are exposed, with exits hinted at and there’s an update on Betsy Swain’s health
There’s some huge moments ahead on Coronation Street next week(Image: ITV)
There’s some huge moments ahead on Coronation Street next week, new spoilers have revealed.
Sarah has nowhere left to hide as her killer secret is exposed. Kit tries to quiz McLaughlin about Theo’s murder case, but McLaughlin gives nothing away.
Sarah is worried about her outfit from the night Theo died, which is with forensics, while Kit thinks Gary will be arrested. As the evidence all points to Sarah, she is arrested.
Sarah feigns innocence at the station, while Lisa warns Kit that he too is under suspicion. Warning him to stop protecting Sarah, Lisa tells Kit they are going to charge Sarah with murder.
Back on the street, Maria confides in Gary that she’s worried sick the police will release Sarah and come after him instead. She’s left even more concerned when at the salon, Maria clocks Sally’s screensaver which is a picture from Carla’s wedding.
Maria notices Gary is in the background, before telling Gary it will prove he was lying about being at the builder’s yard all evening. Kit tries to get Sarah to confess to Gary’s involvement, before Kit lashes out at Gary for playing happy families while Sarah rots in a cell.
Adam offers to help Kit look after Harry, while Maria is conflicted about her future with Gary, so she goes to visit Sarah. As the week draws to a close, Sarah finally confesses to killing Theo.
Sarah tells Kit it was Jodie who attacked her, leaving him stunned. Brody rounds on Dylan for spreading lies about him, while Ryan tells Dylan some home truths which make him question his part in what happened to Betsy. Dylan visits Betsy and tells her that he accepts that he’s responsible for what happened to her.
When a police officer arrives, what will Betsy tell them? Christina is forced to admit to Todd that she’s still not got a grip on her spending, so Todd covers for her to George.
Summer warns Todd that covering for Christina will end in disaster. Todd confides in James that he plans to give Theo’s life insurance away, only for Christina to believe Todd is planning on giving George some money.
Lauren’s left saddened when Ollie reveals he’s been offered a job in Brighton. Soon, Leanne offers Ollie the job of chef at Speed Daal and he gratefully accepts.
So it’s safe to say it’s another big week with twists ahead on the cobbles. Stay tuned for much more as there’s lots to come.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The Kremlin today confirmed it’s in contact with Turkey over the fate of Ankara’s Russian-made S-400 air defense systems. Reports have emerged that Turkey could soon transfer the controversial missiles to an unnamed Gulf state in a move aimed at convincing Washington to lift sanctions and clear the way for Ankara’s return to the F-35 program.
Asked Friday whether Turkey had sought Russia’s approval for the reported transfer, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the substance of the report but confirmed Moscow is discussing the issue with Ankara.
“I can say one thing here: this is an extremely sensitive issue. However, we have been in contact with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue to maintain contact with them on this issue.”
Reports in the Turkish media say that Ankara is considering transferring its S-400 systems to an unspecified Gulf country, but the Turkish government has not confirmed that.
“According to the information I’ve gathered, the S-400s have been sold to a third country,” journalist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote in the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet on Friday. “The sale will be announced today. The S-400s are going to a country in the Gulf.”
Both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been named as potential candidates to receive the systems.
Turkey will announce today the sale of its S-400 batteries to the United Arab Emirates, in order to lift the restrictions on the sale of F-35s to the country.
There were indications at the NATO Summit in Ankara earlier this week that the United States was considering softening its stance on the issue of F-35s for Turkey.
“Why wouldn’t we do that?” U.S. President Trump said when asked if he would let Turkey back into the program. “Turkey, in many ways, has been much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal.”
Nevertheless, Turkey’s possession of the S-400 remains a sticking point.
Roll-out of the first F-35A for Turkey during a ceremony at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas, United States on June 21, 2018. Photo by Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Anadolu
Washington took that decision after Turkey refused to abandon its purchase of S-400 systems, amid security concerns around the Russian-made system and the F-35. By that time, around 30 F-35As had been built for Turkey. Most of these were later transferred to the U.S. Air Force.
It now seems that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is willing to give up the S-400s to regain access to the F-35 program.
Turkey bought the S-400 in 2017, but the systems have reportedly spent most of their service life in storage. Separate reports have also questioned the S-400’s combat performance in Indian service during last year’s India-Pakistan conflict.
A view of Murted Air Base, Turkey, as cargo aircraft carrying components of S-400 systems land on July 14, 2019. Photo by Gokhan Balci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Anadolu
From Turkey’s perspective, regaining access to the F-35 would deliver far greater long-term military and industrial benefits than retaining the S-400. Lockheed Martin anticipates that by the 2030s, more than 600 F-35s will be operated from more than 10 European countries, including two U.S. Air Force squadrons in the United Kingdom. Turkey would be able to benefit from a significant European operator footprint and, potentially, could reinstate lucrative local production for F-35 components.
In the past, Moscow has said that contractual obligations from the S-400 acquisition prevent it from being resold or transferred by Turkey without formal authorization. However, there is now also the possibility that Russia might want to take back the S-400s to bolster its own air defenses, which are increasingly strained by the ongoing war in Ukraine. As Kyiv piles on the pressure with long-range drone and cruise missile strikes against Russia, getting more S-400s for homeland defense would also be very welcome.
Operators of the NGU special unit “Lasar’s Group” struck an S-400 air defense launcher in the Belgorod region using a heavy bomber drone.
The operation was carried out jointly with the 429th Separate UAV Battalion and the Joint Forces Grouping. pic.twitter.com/FnQp82ZjGc
On the other hand, there will still be some resistance to Turkey’s readmission to the F-35 program. Any kind of major defense deal with Turkey involves some kind of pushback from U.S. lawmakers.
As well as the S-400 issue, U.S. lawmakers have historically been concerned about Turkey’s relations with Greece, its other connections with Russia and Azerbaijan (which included the deployment of F-16s to the latter country), its conduct in the Syrian civil war, and human rights abuses. Previously, Turkey’s opposition to Sweden joining NATO also proved to be a significant hurdle.
The process to get Turkey back into the F-35 program would involve a lifting of the sanctions placed on it under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). To do this, Trump would need to formally notify Congress that the S-400s are no longer operational, that Turkey no longer possesses any of the systems, and that Ankara has pledged not to pursue similar defense ties with Russia in the future. Congress could still put the matter to a vote if lawmakers were still unconvinced that these conditions have been met.
An infographic outlining U.S. sanctions on Turkey over its S-400 purchase. Photo by Muhammed Ali Yigit, Sadik Kedir Abdu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Anadolu
There have been recent signs that, under Trump in particular, Turkey is getting more access to high-end defense equipment. This reflects broader improvements in Washington’s relationship with Ankara, with Erdogan frequently receiving praise from the U.S. leader.
Last month, reports emerged that the Trump administration planned to go ahead with the sale of dozens of F110 engines required to power Turkey’s homegrown TF Kaan combat jet, despite some resistance from Congress. You can read more about that here.
In early 2024, the U.S. State Department finally approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Turkey of 40 new F-16C/D Block 70 fighters, which Ankara had long campaigned for, plus the upgrade of 79 existing aircraft to F-16V configuration.
A Turkish Air Force F-16C during air refueling operations in Exercise Ramstein Flag 25 over the North Sea, March 31, 2025. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Campbell Senior Airman Christopher Campbell
Ankara’s push to regain access to the F-35 has taken on added urgency as rival Greece moves ahead with its own approved purchase of the stealth jets. We explored how that rivalry is reshaping both countries’ air forces in this previous feature.
Moreover, Turkey is looking to modernize its fighter fleet and, denied the F-35 and with F-16 deals moving forward only slowly, it has been forced to look elsewhere to meet its short-term fighter needs. Most notably, it signed a deal for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets last year.
A Turkish return to the F-35 program would also have implications for the Kaan program. Renewed defense ties with Washington could ease access to critical technologies and support for the homegrown jet, while acquiring the F-35 would also reduce some of the urgency behind the Kaan, which was accelerated in part after expulsion from the Joint Strike Fighter program. Even so, Ankara has consistently presented the Kaan as a long-term strategic project intended to give it an independent fighter capability rather than simply replace the F-35. It also comes with the option for lucrative exports.
With the strongest signs yet that Ankara is ready to relinquish its S-400s, it would represent a remarkable reversal of one of the most consequential defense procurement decisions in Turkey’s recent history. Whether that proves sufficient to reopen the door to the F-35 program, however, will ultimately depend as much on Congress as on the White House.
If only. If Rob Pelinka could use the Dodgers’ blueprint to renovate, Lakers fans wouldn’t even be sweating this summer.
But, you know. Baseballs and basketballs, apples and oranges.
The windup and sales pitch are the same, though: Deliver a sustainable, high-rising, championship build. On time and … about that budget. One team has none. The other’s is tight.
In baseball, they wear caps. In the NBA, they’re compelled to stay under them.
In baseball, they can swing freely (for now). In basketball, they’re hamstrung by aprons.
Ned Colletti had it easier, and he lasted only two relatively successful seasons in his role as Dodgers general manager after Mark Walter’s Guggenheim Baseball Management group bought the ballclub in 2012.
Pelinka has it tougher as the Lakers’ general manager and president of basketball operations. But like Colletti before him, with Walter having purchased the majority stake in the Lakers, Pelinka is going to have to crash the hourglass and build a winner with haste. Er, the winner.
If the Lakers lay anything but an 18th brick on their championship foundation in the next couple seasons, Pelinka’s story probably is going to go a lot like Colletti’s.
When free agency opens Tuesday, Pelinka is just going to have to show us how creative he can be, how clever and cunning.
He already hit a grand slam with the Luka Doncic trade in 2025. In one of the NBA’s all-time heists, Pelinka brought the then-25-year-old Slovenian superstar to L.A. from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for essentially an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis and just one first-round draft pick.
Before that, Pelinka hit another home run with Austin Reaves; a four-bagger so deep that Doncic’s undrafted backcourt-mate has now procured the proverbial bag. (Four years, $185 million worth of baggage to the Lakers.)
With those pillars cemented, Pelinka’s job is delivering the A-list center Doncic reportedly desires.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic. Can Pelinka build a winner around Doncic?
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Doesn’t matter that all the perceivable candidates — from the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler to the New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Myles Turner, the Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen, the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford, even old friend A.D. — sit on a spectrum of unlikely to unwise.
Still, the best plan: Make Doncic happy; make a run at Kessler.
He’s a 24-year-old, defensively adept big man who would be a great pickup, just hard to get. But whether it’s overpaying in restricted free agency or working out a sign-and-trade deal, pry him away from the Jazz.
After nailing down a center, Pelinka also needs to really hit on the margins. Because in the modern NBA, the marginal is major.
The current contenders have depth borne of seasons spent tanking and loading up in the draft on athletic, affordable young talent or, in the case of the recently crowned Knicks, having a leading man take $113 million less than he was eligible for, as Jalen Brunson effectively did, to be able to play with his best buds.
In L.A., the Lakers don’t really have the first option and shouldn’t ever expect the second.
But Pelinka doesn’t have to swing for the fences every time; he doesn’t need to wow us now, he needs to have wowed us later. Take swings like he did trading for Rui Hachimura or netting sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
Former Laker Pau Gasol, right, speaks with GM Rob Pelinka during a Lakers practice in 2025.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
No one bats 1.000, of course, not even Andrew Friedman, the architect of the Dodgers’ three World Series titles since taking over as president of baseball operations in 2014.
But for the Lakers’ potential $51 million of cap space, for all of this summer’s much-hyped optionality, Pelinka’s competitive new boss isn’t the type to forgive errors that are forever front of mind for the Lakers’ faithful.
Pelinka can’t strike out on free agent signees like Gabe Vincent and Kendrick Nunn. Can’t let someone like Alex Caruso walk. Can’t whiff on draftees like Dalton Knecht or Jalen Hood-Schifino — and better hope he hasn’t on this year’s selection, Cameron Carr, who fell to the Lakers at No. 24.
The wrinkle, this offseason: Last year’s Lakers — 41-year-old LeBron James, Hachimura, Kennard and, if he opts out, Marcus Smart — will be among the most attractive free agents on the market, and they’re proven fits for a team that reached the second round of the playoffs.
But merely re-signing those guys won’t improve the Lakers’ odds of getting past the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs.
And simply outspending those teams isn’t an option, either. So Pelinka is going to have to go bargain hunting, he’s got to find some hidden gems, pull some tricks out of his sleeve. Surprise us, like great general managers are supposed to do.
This is Pelinka’s opportunity to show us his blueprint for bringing another title to Los Angeles, to build a case for himself.
As Coronation Street revealed it was Sarah who killed Theo on Monday, actress Tina O’Brien addressed whether she could be leaving the ITV soap and her reaction to the twist
Coronation Street revealed it was Sarah who killed Theo on Monday(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street’s Sarah Platt has been exposed as Theo Silverton’s killer.
Now, actress Tina O’Brien, who has played the character since 1999, has addressed whether she’s about to bow out for good. Flashbacks during Monday’s episode confirmed what really happened to Theo, and who was to blame.
We saw Sarah accidentally killing Theo after he turned sinister. As he threatened her, she shoved him before hitting him over the head with a metal pole, leading to him plummeting off the scaffolding.
In the fallout, Sarah will be desperate to cover her tracks. But will she be caught out, and could it lead to a prison stint, or possibly a permanent exit from the ITV soap after after nearly 30 years in the role?
Tina shared: “It’s not just about her now, it’s about her family and her son, and there are times when she can’t cope with the pressure and you think she’s just going to hand herself in. And then she thinks about her son growing up without a mum, if she’s convicted and can’t prove she acted in self defence.
“And because of those things, she’s so desperate to do whatever it takes to be part of her family’s life.” It was her ex Gary that she frantically called for help, with him now keeping her secret.
With Gary’s rivalry with Sarah’s partner Kit Green now at boiling point, Tina explained why Sarah told Gary and not detective Kit. She said: “I think she absolutely went into panic mode, shocked, stunned and numb. She obviously didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know how to react and in that moment she thought, I can’t call Kit because of his job in the police.
“And so in that moment, she thought who can I call and it was Gary. There’s a lot of guilt there and I think also, selfishly, she feels like she’s ruined her chance with Kit, because if he knows what she’s done, he might not want her anymore and she so wanted him to be her future.”
This isn’t the first time Sarah has been caught up in a murder plot. Fans will recall that back in 2015, Sarah’s sister-in-law Kylie Platt murdered Sarah’s love interest Callum Logan. Callum had tried to attack Sarah, leading to Kylie killing him with a wrench.
Sarah and Kylie, with the help of Sarah’s brother David Platt, covered up the crime, and buried the body under their house. Sarah’s mental health spiralled in the fallout, and she was admitted to a psychiatric unit for treatment.
With Sarah caught up in another murder, Tina said this time her character could face prison. She teased: “If she’d have called the police straight away and explained what happened, she would have been in a much better situation, because it was clearly not pre-meditated, it was a situation where she felt she had no other choice.
“But to cover it up, to actively cover something up, she knows that she crossed a line that she can’t come back from.” She added on exit fears: “I genuinely didn’t worry, at the end of the day this job is incredible, but to be an actor is not necessarily a job for life. So, I just was really excited to be given the honour of being the murderer, and then hopefully, however it plays out, I’ll enjoy Sarah’s arc.”
So does this hint that Sarah will stick around? After keeping quiet for months, Tina shared: “I’ve literally been a big bag of nerves. It’s been so difficult, I told my mum and I just recently told my daughter Scarlett and my son Beau. You’re seeing all the chat on social media, everyone’s saying I think this, and I think that.
“Actually filming these scenes the weeks after have been the hardest thing I’ve ever filmed because I felt like my face looked guilty constantly and I thought everyone’s going to know it’s me instantly.”
It came as no surprise to Tina though that Sarah killed Theo. She explained: “I completely understand how it happened, why it happened. For me to get into her character and her head, I feel like in that moment, she didn’t feel like she had any other choice.”
Following Jeremy Clarkson’s emotional cancer admission, questions are being asked about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has already been rocked by behind-the-scenes health battles
Jeremy Clarkson warns Clarkson’s Farm viewers of ‘difficult watch’
The latest episodes of Clarkson’s Farm have taken a devastating turn, with Jeremy Clarkson announcing his shock cancer diagnosis.
The former Top Gear host reduced farm manager Kaleb Cooper to tears as he revealed he’d known about the “aggressive” prostate cancer since May. Following treatment, Clarkson confided in Kaleb that he’d had “10 per cent” of his prostate removed via ultrasound, explaining: “The prostate, 10 per cent of it’s dead. The 10 per cent where the cancer is.”
In the season finale, Clarkson addressed viewers from his hospital bed, sharing that there had been complications during treatment. The 66-year-old told fans: “What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.”
Over on Instagram, ahead of the new episodes dropping, an emotional Clarkson warned followers that a “really, really difficult watch” was in store.
Holding back tears in a candid post, Clarkson said on Tuesday: “Ordinarily, we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes, which drop in the middle of the night tonight, are none of those things really. They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really, difficult.”
Fans of the hit farming show will know all too well that Clarkson is not the first cast member to share his health battles, with other stars being struck with serious illnesses throughout its five-year run.
Now questions have emerged about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has been running since June 2021, with Prime Video yet to issue a formal statement on its continuation.
At present, the show has not been officially recommissioned. In February, Clarkson himself confirmed that, while some recording for the upcoming series had already taken place, some pausing had been required due to the weather.
In his column for The Sunday Times, the presenter wrote: “There’s no filming happening on the farm at the moment. Or farming. It hasn’t stopped raining since the beginning of the year, so I can’t plant anything, and I can’t do anything with my cows either because we are still locked down by TB.”
But planning documents submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council reportedly suggest that season six is in the works. According to The Independent, part of it reads: “Season five will air this year and season six has been commissioned and will air in summer 2027.”
Clarkson’s enthusiasm for the farming show shows no sign of waning. Speaking previously with The Sun, he said: “We’ll definitely do six – Amazon want to (do series six), and I want to. I’ve got a good idea for six. I said I’ll stop doing them when there are no more ideas. But I’ve got two quite good ones, so we’ll do six, and then we’ll see…”
The beloved farm has been plagued by setbacks and personal health struggles. Back in 2024, during the show’s third series, farmhand Gerald Cooper revealed he had prostate cancer.
The fan favourite, known for his distinctive mullet, has since confirmed that he is thankfully cancer-free. Discussing his diagnosis with Prostate Cancer UK, Gerald shared: “It was a shock – but everyone has really supported me.”
He added: “I received tremendous support from family, friends and Prostate Cancer UK – which was also a lifeline. I made it through, and I’m now cancer-free.”
Wanting to do something “joyful” following his recovery, the 77-year-old went on to launch a racehorse syndicate to help raise some all-important awareness of prostate cancer. The horse itself is, of course, named ‘The Mullet’.
Then, in June 2025, it was revealed that castmate Alan Townsend – aka Alan the Builder – was awaiting heart surgery. While carrying out building work on the Farmer’s Dog Pub, Alan confirmed to Clarkson that he had a “quadruple bypass coming.”
When asked whether he had any fears about the procedure, Alan admitted: “Oh, [I’m] frightened to death. I don’t even like thinking about it. That’s why I keep going to work — keep out of the way. They told me to really just take it easy and stay at home. But if you stay, you’ll be worrying to death about it.”
In the latest season, fans were delighted to see Alan back at work after undergoing a gruelling procedure. Opening up to Clarkson about returning to normality, Alan confirmed that the op had been “very painful”, adding, “I don’t want to show you on camera, but it’s a nasty cut.”
Alan shared that he’d been hospitalised because of issues with the arteries in his heart. He explained: “One had collapsed and curled itself up, and the others were about 85-90 per cent blocked. Horrible. I had a bit of a problem with the lungs, I lost 36 per cent of the lungs.”
Coincidentally, Alan and Clarkson had been neighbours at the same hospital, with Clarkson undergoing follow-up heart check-ups at the same time.
The presenter underwent a heart procedure in October 2024, after experiencing a tightness in his chest. Medics revealed he’d been mere days away from a heart attack, in a scare that led to him having a stent fitted.
Opening up about his brush with catastrophe on the first episode of season five, Clarkson blamed his health woes on the pressures involved in launching The Farmer’s Dog. He told Kaleb, “I’m back and not dead. The Grim Reaper will have to wait. It was f***ing close, though.”
Clarkson’s Farm season 5 is on Prime Video
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.
One Emmerdale theory suggested a shock death could be looming for Laurel Thomas as her secret fling faces being exposed on the ITV soap, but not all fans are convinced
14:16, 03 Jun 2026Updated 14:19, 03 Jun 2026
One Emmerdale theory suggested a shock death could be looming for Laurel Thomas(Image: ITV)
One new Emmerdale theory has teased a shock death for a long-serving character.
Laurel Thomas is currently at the centre of a new romance plot with Ross Barton, with a secret fling underway. Laurel’s stepdaughter Gabby Thomas was rejected by Ross who instead wants to be with Laurel.
Amid this storyline ongoing, it’s been teased Laurel is just having a bit of fun. But with recent reports suggesting that three different characters have been axed from the show, some fans wondered what the future might hold for other village residents.
There’s rumours Jimmy King will be killed off later this year, and now a new theory suggests Laurel could meet a grim fate. While the fan who started off the theory claimed they were initially joking, they admitted they could not help but wonder if there was truth to it given the soap’s history.
They wondered how the storyline with Ross and Laurel may end, even predicting a twist involving Gabby. They predicted that Laurel would become hated by villagers, and might end up being killed off.
Hilariously, fans shared their thoughts on the theory, admitting that with it being soap land, anything was possible. The original post read: “I thought of this as a joke at first, but knowing the writers, maybe it will end up being true.
“Who wants to bet that Ross will end up dating Gabby and then secretly have an affair with Laurel. Bonus points if they get engaged/married and the affair is found out at the wedding and/or Gabby has a child to him during the relationship (or she goes Eva from Corrie style and fakes a pregnancy).
“And since it’s Emmerdale, let’s also predict that Jai will start seeing Laurel behind Kerry’s back and both affair reveals will happen in the same week. Leading to Laurel becoming the most hated person in the village and then mysteriously dying, prompting a months-long whodunnit.”
The idea wasn’t completely shut down by fans, as some joked along with it while others questioned how likely it was given recent storylines. A fan replied: “You are HIRED!!!!! That storyline I would watch!”
Another said: “You’ve given the scriptwriters much food for thought if they read your post but you and I know that anything is possible in soap land. And I mean anything.”
A final comment read: “I mean if there’s already rumours around about other long-term characters being killed off then Laurel could be just as at risk surely. As people have said it’s soap after all.”
As it stands there has been nothing to suggest Laurel is leaving the show, let alone that she will be killed off. It’s not currently the way the plot is going, but fans are not wrong by saying anything can happen.
EastEnders spoilers for next week have teased the fallout to the big episodes airing this week, hinting at Jordan’s fate as well as Denise getting a sad update on the BBC soap
There’s some huge moments ahead on EastEnders(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
There’s some huge moments ahead on EastEnders, with spoilers for next week confirming bombshells and worrying scenes.
It’s the fallout to the show’s big week that “changes everything”, with new details confirmed about what happens. Not only that, but we see characters struggling in the fallout, and reacting to some big discoveries.
George clashes with Nicola about her deal with Eddie, leading to him heading to the boxing gym. A friendly session with Mark takes a turn though, when Mark punches George and he falls unconscious.
Phil reveals to a stunned Mark that George should never have been boxing due to his brain injury. A groggy and confused George refuses hospital treatment, so Phil takes him home and informs Nicola about George’s CTE.
Harry worries that George might tell Gina about Nicola’s deal with Eddie, fearing it will end their relationship. He does encourage Nicola to tell Gina before someone else does, while Nicola tries to get through to George.
Denise is shocked when doctors insist she be admitted immediately for treatment. Despite Jack’s pleas, Denise is determined to be there for Chelsea after Jordan’s accident involving Ian.
When Denise’s condition worsens, Jack shares the doctor’s warning with Yolande in a bid to encourage Denise to start her treatment. Denise refuses still, while later in the week Chelsea learns that Jordan’s rehabilitation may not work.
Kat plans a birthday dinner for Jasmine, while Oscar secretly juggles time seeing the twins separately. When Oscar finds out the circumstances around the death of the twins’ foster dad, and Jasmine’s departure from the family, he asks Jasmine about it, causing her to lash out.
Josh and Oscar give into temptation, but Kat spots them kissing. Kat confronts Oscar and tells him to stay away from Josh and Jasmine, before she tells Alfie what she saw.
Unaware of the situation, Zoe invites Oscar to the meal for Jasmine and Josh. It looks set to be another drama-filled week in Walford next week then!
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A resolute Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to the White House lectern Tuesday and declared the United States, under President Trump’s leadership, had launched a bold new operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, based on the principle that international waterways must remain free.
An hour later, Trump walked it all back, ending the complex military endeavor after less than a day.
It was just the latest evidence to America’s allies that the word of the U.S. government is subject entirely to the president’s whims. And such is the worry fueling concerns in Taipei ahead of Trump’s state visit to China this week.
Privately, senior administration officials have assured Taiwanese leadership ahead of the trip that Trump has no intention of changing long-standing U.S. policy on the island, two sources familiar with the discussions said — a stance of “strategic ambiguity” that has avoided any declarative statements on Taiwanese independence since it was coined by Henry Kissinger 55 years ago.
A White House official was definitive that U.S. policy toward Taiwan “remains the same as the first Trump administration.”
“The U.S. One China policy, as our cross-strait policies are collectively known, is based on the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-PRC Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances to Taiwan,” the official said. “There is no change to our policy with respect to Taiwan.”
But Chinese officials told The Times that their president, Xi Jinping, intends to raise the matter as a top priority, knowing that only one person — Trump himself — speaks for the administration today.
Whether Xi can leverage the intimacy of a private audience to shift Trump’s stance, potentially linking it to other U.S. objectives, is the source of significant concern here.
Taiwanese officials fear even the most subtle rhetorical change in policy from Trump could imperil a delicate status quo that has held, to its benefit, for decades. They have similarly sought assurances that the administration will follow through on a pending U.S. arms sale worth over $10 billion, which received approval from Taiwan’s legislature on Friday.
“The most serious scenario would be if President Trump were to make an impromptu statement, such as, ‘I oppose Taiwanese independence,’ particularly if he were to link this to trade, the Iran issue, or a summit agreement,” said Chienyu Shih, of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan. “This would constitute a rhetorical concession of substantial significance to Beijing.”
Rubio told reporters at his news conference Tuesday — with a similar confidence he expressed on the Iran file — that China understands Washington’s long-standing position on the island.
“I’m sure Taiwan will be a topic of conversation. It always is. The Chinese understand our position on that topic — we understand theirs,” Rubio said.
“I think both countries understand that it is in neither one of our interests to see anything destabilizing happen in that part of the world,” he added. “We don’t need any destabilizing events to occur with regards to Taiwan, or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific. And that’s to the mutual benefit of both the United States and the Chinese.”
Trump has suggested a willingness to shift U.S. policy on Taiwan before.
During his initial campaign for the presidency in 2016, Trump openly questioned the One China policy, drawing ire from Beijing for suggesting he might endorse Taiwanese independence. He accepted a call from Taiwan’s president after his victory and would later support significant arms sales to Taipei.
And yet, at a 2017 meeting with Xi, Trump vacillated, telling the Chinese leader he could “deal with” the Taiwan issue in “a matter of months,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The Chinese were reportedly so flabbergasted by the comment that they dismissed it as rhetorical flourish.
“There is concern that the conversation between the two leaders could veer into sensitive territory on the topic of Taiwan,” said Brian Hart, deputy director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “but there are many in the administration who would still appreciate the importance of general continuity in U.S. policy.”
U.S. support for Taiwan’s democratic movement used to be a matter of principle. Today, Washington sees it as a matter of national security. Over 60% of semiconductors are produced in Taiwan, including 90% of the world’s most advanced chips. And it is viewed as the clasp of the first island chain guarding against Chinese maritime expansion.
A robust debate between Taiwan’s Cabinet and the opposition in parliament ended Friday not over whether to accept U.S. defense equipment, but over how much to spend. The Legislative Yuan approved $24 billion in purchases — including a defense package passed by Congress in December and the pending arms sale — falling short of Taipei’s $40-billion proposal.
Anticipation for the president’s state visit is high here in the capital city, where local news is filled with questions over the influence Trump’s war in Iran might have on his appetite for supporting Taiwan.
Chinese defense analysts have seen the war as a sign of U.S. weakness. But Taiwanese defense experts have taken away a different lesson: cheap equipment from a lesser military, such as dumb mines thrown in a strait, may just be enough to paralyze a superpower.
The latest U.S. National Security Strategy, released by the Trump administration in December, emphasized the importance of support for Taiwan and the status quo.
But the Taiwanese took note that the strategy also called for an end to forever wars in the Middle East, offering little preview of the president’s sudden strategic pivot on Iran in February, launching a war few saw coming.
What Trump chooses to say in China “might be difficult to predict,” said Jyh-Shyang Sheu, a scholar of Chinese politics and military capabilities based in Taiwan.
But “in Taipei, we are still focusing on the U.S. policy,” he added, “more focusing on what he does instead of what he says.”
Coronation Street spoilers have hinted at guilty characters who could be Theo Silverton’s killer, while the fates of two other villains are also teased on the ITV soap
Spoilers for next week on Coronation Street have revealed huge twists(Image: ITV)
Spoilers for next week on Coronation Street have revealed huge twists, including clues about who killed Theo Silverton.
One villain faces her comeuppance finally, while another’s fate is revealed after murder week. One character is plotting an exit and some new evidence is teased as Theo’s murder suspects fall under the spotlight.
Sam Blakeman sparks concern, and Tim Metcalfe must face his past. Kicking things off, Will secretly meets Megan, having stolen £2,000 from the pub safe.
They plot to flee to France, while Will pretends he’s moving to Scotland with his mum. As he leaves in Tim’s taxi, Tim is suspicious about Will’s plans when he realises the Glasgow train is cancelled.
The Driscolls also realise something is up when Will’s passport is gone, and they can’t get through to him. Tim tells Will all about his relationship with Tricia, how much he enjoyed it at the time but how he’s come to realise that technically he was a victim of rape, but will he get through to Will?
Will returns to Weatherfield, and reports Megan to the police. Lisa interviews Megan but she denies everything. After his chat with Will, Tim confronts Trisha and spells out that like it or not, she abused him when he was 14 years old.
Back at the Rovers, Ben gets a call from Melanie, and Maggie’s thrown into panic, telling Ben they need to talk. David kicks Jodie out, leading to her sowing seeds of doubt in Shona’s mind about what happened between them.
Soon, Jodie comes across Daniel, who is still lying about being at the Lakes, and the pair share their secrets. As Jodie later collects her things from Shona’s, her face darkens.
Sam is left panicked when he’s threatened by Will at the Red Rec, causing him to break his telescope. Hope urges Sam to tell Leanne about Will, but Sam loses it.
As Sam prepares for his exam, he overhears Nick and Toyah talking, but doesn’t hear their true words. Soon, Roy finds an agitated and distressed Sam surveying a tracking device he found in his school bag.
Kit and Lisa don’t believe Gary’s alibi after the recent murder, but they soon suspect Todd is hiding something. As the police call at the builder’s yard and start gathering potential evidence, it includes some scaffolding poles.
After some evidence is deleted, Kit makes it clear that Gary is still his prime suspect. Finally, Summer reveals that she’s been offered a place at an American university – but is her possible exit her attempt at fleeing?
Coronation Street’s Murder Week came to a shocking end but the drama isn’t over as fans are convinced Jodie’s parting words for David spell trouble ahead
22:47, 01 May 2026Updated 22:47, 01 May 2026
Coronation Street ‘seal Jodie’s fate’ as her sick plan for David is ‘unveiled’(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street have revealed that Jodie is not the murder victim in their upcoming whodunnit – but that doesn’t mean she’s safe.
The ITV soap have been leading up to this week with dramatic twists and turns, teasing who might die. On 1 May, the ITV soap aired a dramatic set of scenes, in which Theo Silverton was found dead in an alleyway, Carl Webster flatlined in hospital and Maggie Driscoll was left unconscious on the street. As for Jodie Ramsey – after trying and failing to get brother-in-law David Platt to sleep with her, she’s run away from the cobbles.
Before she fled, Jodie also tried to convince David and his sister Sarah that he came on to her and she rejected him. On her way out, she left a voicemail for David saying again that she turned him down after he came on to her and that he needs to stop trying it on with her.
Fans are convinced Jodie is trying to set David up and frame him for murder. One wrote: “Jodie is like doing Gone Girl on David.” In Gone Girl, Amy Dunne orchestrates her disappearance and then fakes her own death to set up her husband for muder after finding out he cheated on her.
Another fan echoed this sentiment, saying they they thought Jodie would go “missing”, just like Amy Dunne. They said: “My money’s on Jodie missing and will reappear at some stage to cause havoc.”
Fans are also certain that Theo will not be the only death in the near future. Many have pointed out that Carl and Maggie have both been hurt and could succumb to their injuries in the coming episodes. One said: “What we know after that episode – Theo: Dead? Maggie: Attacked. Carl: Fighting for his life. Jodie: Alive. Megan: AWOL. So could we have multiple deaths here?”
Another agreed: “Might be all 5 of them dead, we dont know where Megan and Jodie are.” Others argued that Jodie seemed to be the only one that won’t die. One fan asked: “I’m guessing Jodie is probably the only one who is still definitely alive then….?”
Over the past week, Corrie have been focusing on one character per episode. Jodie’s episode happened on Wednesday 29 April. During the episode, Jodie was about to leave Weatherfield when she was caught by her niece Lilly.
After Lilly had left, two men arrived at number eight, where they spotted Shona, Jodie’s half-sister and David’s wife, outside. She pretended not to know anything about Jodie. But when they attempted to take hold of her, Jodie shouted after them, and they left. Viewers will recognise the two men who arrived in scenes that aired last week.
Still credited as Bloke 1 and Bloke 2, they had been putting pressure on a little girl called Olivia to get hold of a USB stick that was in Jodie’s possession. She handed it over to Bloke 1 and Bloke 2, and they threatened that they would be back if what they wanted was not on it.
After the ordeal, Shona convinced Jodie to stay, but when Jodie found proof that Shona had known where she was as a child and chose not to make contact, she was furious. She stole Shona’s phone and reacted to a text message from a drunken David and then crawled into his bed, pretending to be Shona, when he came in. He only realised she wasn’t when they started kissing. After her plan failed, she started to leave again, only to be confronted by Lilly, who wanted her to stay.
